Cloud computing is fast becoming the new black, with consumers jumping head first into cloud services such as Gmail. However, many companies are cautious about adopting it, raising fears about data sovereignty, portability and security. The aim of TechLines is to delve into the pros and cons of this new public infrastructure revolution.

It was remarked upon early that the audience was well hooked up via mobile devices.

Published: February 17, 2011 -- 22:50 GMT (14:50 PST)

Caption by: Suzanne Tindal

(Credit: Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia)

Faced by a question about how companies prefer to be responsible for data security themselves rather than trust cloud providers with their data, Carraro likened the releasing of control to people in the past when they realised that banks were a safe place to harbour funds.

"People were keeping their money under mattresses," he said. "That has shifted."

He said that organisations would be better off in security terms if they did go with a cloud provider. Ovum's Noonan agreed. However, he had an option for those who weren't convinced.

"If security is your absolute concern, go to your existing service providers and ask them do they have a cloud offering," he said.

Published: February 17, 2011 -- 22:50 GMT (14:50 PST)

Caption by: Suzanne Tindal

(Credit: Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia)

O'Loghlin introduced a lawn mower analogy early on in the piece, which the other panellists picked up and ran with. Why buy a lawn mower when you use it so infrequently, he asked? Why can't someone just cut your grass for you?

Carraro reused O'Loghlin's analogy, saying he should engage the services of a landscaper. It's changing from the idea that "I need to do it", according to Carraro, and moving to "it needs to be done", so let's get a professional to do it.

Later O'Loghlin asked IBM's Wightwick to explain the difference between infrastructure-as-a-service, platform-as-a-service and software-as-a-service. There was a pause. Then Wightwick said "I'm trying to figure out how to relate this to a lawnmower", before admitting defeat.

Further again, when talking about potential job losses in the IT department from cloud, O'Loghlin was told by panellists that the IT staff will be able to carry out other roles. He said then that those employees weren't mowing as many lawns, but were perhaps designing the shape of the lawn.

Published: February 17, 2011 -- 22:50 GMT (14:50 PST)

Caption by: Suzanne Tindal

(Credit: Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia)

Noonan explained how the viability of cloud was mixed.

"If we were starting a small business I think it would just be a no-brainer to start picking the best of breed cloud technology and making use of it," he said. "But if you've got an organisation that's got IT that has been running for 30 to 40 years with hundreds, probably millions of dollars invested into applications ... it's a technical challenge you sort of pick up and lob over into the cloud."

He said that organisations would look through their application portfolio and pick which ones made sense to move to the cloud.

On vendor lock-in, Noonan said that the vendor choice issue had been something facing IT for a long time — in terms of when companies choose particular systems, they're also locking themselves into a vendor.

However, standards to facilitate data portability also featured heavily in the discussion.

Published: February 17, 2011 -- 22:50 GMT (14:50 PST)

Caption by: Suzanne Tindal

(Credit: Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia)

After the discussion, audience and panellists went upstairs to discuss issues further.